New York, N.Y. What an absolutely amazing event last week! The breadth of our activities over the last sixteen years blew me away. Our St. John’s University event, featuring our new Funds, Fellows and our upcoming Luce Leadership Experience – Hellas, was even more amazing because of the multitude of people involved in making the evening a truly great success (the many tags on this piece speaks to that!).

Over 250 of us gathered in the name of connecting goodness, in support of young global leadership – much in the fields of arts, education and orphan care. Our theme was “Light One Candle,” and every speaker acknowledged how we are each in our own way helping push back the darkness.

Our foundation presents our annual Luce Leadership Awards to young leaders working to better humanity, either in the U.S. or abroad, who embody the characteristics of honor, intelligence, benevolence, and stewardship.

Each of our Luce Leaders were presented with Rita Cosby’s inspirational book, Quiet Hero: Secrets from My Father’s Past (HuffPo), as well as tickets to United Nations’ International Day of Happiness courtesy of Dr. Judy Kuriansky, Global Adviser to the Foundation.

[We will take a group of our young leaders to Marietta College’s Leadership Conference in Ohio the weekend of April 4/1-2 – Marietta College (Link)].

Luce Leader JewelsHarrison amazed our audience with his jazz performance on the keyboard and his mother Mary Harrison spoke eloquently on the need to support individuals living with Autism. She is one of the best mothers I have ever met… Ramin and Alex also spoke about their roles as young leaders – and the critical support they have received from parents and mentors.

Global Adviser Dr. Judy Kuriansky and Luce Leader 2012 Isaac Kassin introduced this year’s Luce Leaders. Dr. Judy spoke of the need to light one candle at a time to illuminate humanity, while Isaac literally took the stage with great passion to discuss how no matter one’s faith, the work we do collectively transcends our individual efforts and become divine. Isaac’s speech was mentioned by many as a highlight of the event.

It was a night of videos with the most ambitious video program in our history – played across 18-foot screens, brilliantly coordinated by our Global Advisor Matt Scott (Tornado Media).

My dear friend Bill Bauer, Vice President of our Foundation, spoke to us with great passion on the passing of his son Grant and the creation of The Bauer Fund of our foundation in Grant’s memory. The Bauer Fund focuses on mental health initiatives including suicide prevention and the promotion of Random Acts of Kindness (RAKs)(story).

Our dear friend WABC’s Rita Cosby (story) accepted our Humanitarian Award in person and spoke glowingly about our collective effort to better the world, one candle at a time. Her life partner Tomaczek Bednarek began the Awards Ceremony by beautifully singing our National Anthem. Rita narrated last year’s video with great enthusiasm.

H.E. Ambassador Catherine Boura, Ph.D. of Greece (bio), a great soul – diplomat, intellect and humanitarian – accepted our Global Citizenship Award and our old friend Hon. Benjamin Kallosof the New York City Council spoke on the importance of our mission – one candle at a time. Dean Victoria Shoaf, Ph.D. of St. John’s University also attended.

The Cuban Government was also represented for another year in a row by H.E. Hon. Luis Javier Baró. Board members Dr. Kazuko Hillyer Tatsumura, John Lee and I have all travelled to Cuba to discuss various partnerships.

Our Masters of Ceremony, Stacee Mandeville of Red Leaf Coaching and Abhinav Chintakunta performed brilliantly with the assistance of the extremely capable Yoshiko Tamaki, our volunteer stage manager. This was the third time Abhi has MC’d one of our events, including last year at the Sri Lankan Mission to the U.N.

Bill’s powerful video on The Bauer Fund played, followed by Georgia Nomikos speaking with great passion about our Hellenic Fund and upcoming leadership experience to Athens, while Audrey Kitagawa spoke eloquently for Dr. Kazuko Tatsumura on our soon-launching Manjushree Fund for Tibetan Orphans (save the date: April 27!), and then our Board Member and father of a Luce Leader, Sunil Herath, spoke on the Foundation’s Sri Lanka Fundfor helping education and youth in his home county.

The extremely talented Rohan Bhargava, who received our 2016 Artist-in-Residence Award, founded the Rovaco Dance Company that presented an astonishing contemporary dance quartet using only improvised movement placed within a highly detailed and structured score featuring the talented Nico Gonzales, Mariel Harris, Holly Ledbetter, and Jared McAboy.

“Leadership” is the ability to motivate others towards a common goal. When coupled with a charity or philanthropy, the art of connecting with others to better humanity. This has been our objective since founding Orphans International Worldwide (OIWW) in 1999, ‘raising global leaders.’ And it continued in 2008 with the launch of the J. Luce Foundation, ‘supporting young global leadership.’

Towards that end, we began to publish The Stewardship Report on Connecting Goodness in 2010. Last spring, we began a Fellowship program with Marietta College’s McDonough Leadership Center. This fall, we sponsored the formation of civic club, the New York Global Leadership Lions Club (NYGLLC). Our emphasis across all organizations has been on honor, intelligence, benevolence – and stewardship.

Leaders are born, not taught. However, born leaders still need to be grounded in the Humanities and given access to the tools, funds and network they need to move mountains. It is with this in mind that we announce The J. Luce Foundation Leadership Experience, our inaugural trip to the cradle of education, philosophy and democracy – where our young leaders will absorb The Ideals of Hellas.

The Experience: Hellas is open to the leadership of our Foundation (both young and old) and all of its many affiliates, including Orphans International Worldwide and the New York Global Leadership Lions Club. Board members, Global Advisers, Executive Committee members, Luce Leaders, Luce Fellows, and Luce Scholars are all welcome – as well as their parents!

This nine-day experience ‘Empowerment Tour’ will allow participants to not only experience the Spirit of Hellenism and its glories but also receive Certification. Several certificates of achievement will be available, from the Greek government to various Greek non-profit organizations to our Foundation.

Students from any educational institution we support are welcome, including our new friends from the Center for Global Business Stewardship at St. John’s University and Legacy High School in New York. Trip coordinated by Global Adviser and Corporate Sponsor Georgia Nomikos, C.E.O. of The Orpheus Luxury Collection.

Our friend and Global Adviser Scott Eisenberg, the attorney who has created the enormously successful professional networking organization Swap the Biz, presented The Biz Philanthropic Award to the very capable Barry Queen of New York Life.

The Hon. Geneive Brown Metzger, LLD, former Consul General of Jamaica and Global Adviser to the foundation, graciously introduced me and I attempted to thank all of those involved with the evening’s success – far too large of a task to have accomplished successfully.

I was feeling so nostalgic seeing our Orphans International banner and our U.N. flag that flew over our sun-drenched, dusty projects after the Tsunami in Indonesia and Sri Lanka, and after the earthquake in Haiti with their patina of authenticity. And, at the same time, long to the future with the New York Global Leaders Lions Club banner presented to us at our induction ceremony only last month.

The hors-d’oeuvres, presented by Food for Thought Catering, won rave reviews, and our Open Bars featured selections of “Hellenic Spirits” (ouzo, mastiha, and samos moscato wine) contributed by John Dotsikas. We also served delectable Resalso red wine from the vineyards of Bodegas Emilio Moro, Ribera Del Duero, Spain.

Unbelievably, this year we have over $115,000 worth of items and experiences available through Silent Auction or on-line with our partner CharityBuzz, ten times more than last year! Our Silent Auction was very successful, with the majority of items closed at the event and two left open until the end of the month. Our Auctions raise funds that we disperse annually to organizations we support (see below for a list of supported organizations in 2015).

STILL OPEN (text me at 347-316-7087 to bid)

Story-Time Reading for Children for 3-8 yrs. old – the delightful and insightful Benjamin Birdie’s First Flight – to school of your choice. Personal appearance & book signing by author Michael Dotsikas. Value: $500. This contribution is earmarked for The Hellenic Fund.

Global Adviser Susie de Rafelo donated a Hands In Signed Weaving from the Otavalo, Ecuador workshop of Jose Cotacachi that was purchased by Meryl Joblin.

Michael Dotsikas, brother of Georgia Nomikos, donated 20 copies of his wonderful children’s bookBenjamin Birdie’s First Flight that I will review shortly in HuffPo and will be featured by Donna Drake on LiveItUp! TV was sold to Lions Peter & Joanne Pergolis for donation to English-speaking orphans. This contribution is earmarked for The Hellenic Fund.

Dinos Malliaros, uncle of Luce Leader ‘16 Francisco Donoso of Bolivia, donated a handsome 16” Riace Warrior Bronze Statuette that I outbid my friend from Habitat for Humanity to take home. This contribution is earmarked for The Hellenic Fund.

The Hellenic Education & Language Program of Astoria (H.E.L.P.) contributed $750 worth of Greek Lessons for Six Months that I also could not pass up. This contribution is earmarked for The Hellenic Fund.

Corporate Sponsor Hiten Manseta of TUSK Boutique, where we held last fall’s Diwali party, donated a gorgeous Yellow Leather Handbag ($340 value) that was purchased by Global Adviser Lynne-Marie Paquette.

The Orpheus Luxury Collection Hellenic Cooking Lesson for Two by Gastronomy Expert “Calliope’s Real Greek Food” was purchased by Board Member Sara Herbert Galloway. This contribution is earmarked for The Hellenic Fund.

Live It Up! With Donna Drake TV Show – business presentation highlighting your store or company (Drake Media Network-Donna Drake). Up to 3 people can be on the segment airing in 7.5 million homes. Permission to put segment on your website. $2,000 value; opening bid $500.

Foundation contributions were made in 2015 to the Battery Dance Company, Fountain House, Friends Without a Border, Indo-American Arts Council, Legacy High School, Lions Club International, Marietta College McDonough Leadership Program, Marietta College Pioneer Pipeline, Osborne Association, and the Roosevelt Island Visual Artists Association. Orphans International Worldwide has supported Manjushree Tibetan Orphanage, Next Generation Nepal, and the Gyanjyoti Rural Development Welfare Trust in Bihar, India.

The Stewardship Report on Connecting Goodness (www.stewardshipreport.com), began in April 2010, has averaged five new stories per day in 2015. With over 100 contributors, readership continues to double each year. We are currently creating a SR app for iPhone and Android.

The Mission of New York Global Leaders Lions Club is to support efforts of The J. Luce Foundation and Orphans International Worldwide (OIWW) in Supporting Young Global Leadership with emphasis on young leaders in high school and college. The four Watchwords are Honor, Intelligence, Benevolence and Stewardship. This group meets every Monday evening to perform the tasks needed to support the Foundation and OIWW.

Members of the Tribeca Campus Lions Club (https://www.facebook.com/nytribecacampuslions/), under the leadership or Hector Liang and Kevin Camacho, were extremely helpful and ensured the evening was as smashing success. We cannot thank this club enough and pledge to work with them for years to come.

Endowment Committee. The Foundation’s Long-Term Planning, Funds & Development Committee, also known as the “Capital Campaign” or “Endowment Committee,” is made up of members of the Board of Directors as well as Global Advisers and Executive Committee members. The Committee is chaired by Board member Sameer Garg, with Board member Gregory Muller as Vice-Chair and Executive Committee member Thanh Dang as Corporate Secretary. Other members are Yu “Jeff” Guan (Exec. Comm.), Seal-Bin Han (Bd.), Lasitha Gunasinghe (GA), Jim Luce (Bd.), and Graham Nolen (Bd.). Nominations are being accepted for additional members.

Contributions to the J. Luce Foundation may be made online at http://tinyurl.com/k7qa4wj. Contributions to Orphans International Worldwide (OIWW) at http://tinyurl.com/qyx6hlf. Checks payable to either may be sent to 540 Main Street #418, New York, N.Y. 10044.

BIOS

Sophie Alford, Luce Leader ’16, Parish Episcopal School Class of 2017 in Dallas, is a member of our Leadership Institute, where she is presently crafting her LEAD Project. This summer, she intends to offer a STEM-based enrichment program to homeless students served by Family Gateway – a Dallas non-profit. Through ParishAbroad, she travelled to Chinchoti, India to live with families and teach rudimentary English to children. Sophie will travel with ParishAbroad again this summer to Peru.

Rohan Bhargava, Artist-in-Residence ’16, born and raised in New Delhi, India, began his formal dance training at The Danceworx Academy of Performing Arts. He relocated to NYC to pursue his B.F.A in Dance from Tisch School of the Arts, NYU. Rohan has performed in works by Bill T. Jones, Deborah Jowitt, Patrick B. Corbin, and Laura Peterson, and currently, he dances for Cameron Mckinney/Kizuna Dance and Live Arts Collaborative. Rohan is the Founder, Artistic Director, and Chief Choreographer of Rovaco Dance Company (www.rovacodance.com).

H.E. Amb. Dr. Catherine Boura, Global Citizen ’16, is the Permanent Representative of Greece to the United Nations. Prior to her current post she was Ambassador of Greece to Lebanon, after serving in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as Chief of Protocol and as Director of the Department for European Countries. Dr. Boura was Greece’s Consul General in New York. Her first post abroad was in the Embassy of Greece in Cyprus. She has a Ph.D. and Master’s degrees in History from London University and a Bachelor’s degree in Literature from Athens University.

Rita Cosby, Humanitarian ’16, has served for years as a Global Adviser to our Foundation. This renowned Emmy-winning TV host, veteran correspondent and multiple best-selling author has anchored highly rated primetime shows on Fox News Channel and MSNBC. She is currently a special correspondent for CBS’ Inside Edition, does frequent reporting for CNN/HLN, and hosts “The Rita Cosby Show” on WABC Radio. She was recognized by the U.S. Congress for her professional and charitable achievement in 2011. Her book ‘Quiet Hero: Secrets from My Father’s Past’ is inspirational.

Thanh Dang, Luce Scholar ‘16. Originally from Vietnam, Thanh Dang is a student at College of Wooster, where he pursues a Bachelor’s degree in Math with a minor in Economics. His career goal is to work in the financial services industry. He is pursuing Chartered Financial Analyst designation and has passed the Level 1 exam. In the summer of 2015 he was a private equity intern at Leopard Capital in Thailand and was selected to join Sponsors for Educational Opportunity-Vietnam (SEO-V), the most competitive career program in Vietnam. Thanh is passionate about supporting education and youth leadership. He has served in various roles at the J. Luce Foundation since his joining in January 2014. Currently, he is a part of the Executive Committee, Corporate Secretary of the Endowment Committee, and Assistant to the President.

Francisco Donoso, Bolivia (b. ’96), Luce Leader ’16, was born and raised in Santa Cruz, Bolivia and is currently living in College Station, Texas where he is pursuing a degree in computer science and business. As a Luce Leader nominee, Francisco’s essay on Global Citizenship was published in The Stewardship Report on Connecting Goodness. He will be attending the J. Luce Leadership Experience: The Ideals of Hellas Trip in May.

Washington Garay, Global Adviser ’15-16, is an accomplished multi-dimensional professional, designing active wear under labels such as Fila, Adidas, Reebok, Nike, Starter, Champion, and Wilson for more then 20 years. His specialization in Sportswear and Active wear Designs with extensive background in creating collections for and working with top retailers such as Wal-Mart, Sports Authority, JC Penny, Footlocker, Modell’s, Kohl’s, Sears, Macy’s as well as smaller stores.

Jewels Harrison, Connecticut (b.’01), Junior Leader ’16, was diagnosed with autism at three years old. Despite his diagnosis, he delights listeners with his musical gifts. People flock to hear him play piano. Since Jewels’ current music reading ability does not match his advanced level of playing, all learning is done by ear. He may hear a piece on the radio and then sit down to play it from memory! Through his solo concerts, Jewels has raised thousands of dollars for the food banks of Stamford and New Canaan; the Circle of Friends in Westport, and All Out for Autism in New Canaan. Jewels is on the CT Storm hockey team for the special needs population and lives in New Canaan with his mom, dad and brother.

Ramin Herath, Long Island (b.’02), Junior Leader ’16. Born on Long Island in 2002 as the first child of Sri Lankan parents, Ramin is best known for his kindness, helpfulness and strong intellect. His first trip to his parents’ native country when he was five changed his life; he saw the differences of lifestyle and living standards of people. On return, he started a box called “Coin for Cause,” collecting change he received to donate to buy a computer for a group of kids in rural Sri Lanka. That inspired him to start teaching English via Skype to a group of children who couldn’t afford second-language education. He was invited by Talent Search at Johns Hopkins University based on his SAT scores and helped his school succeed at cross-country, winning every meet last season. He helped kids with cancer run a 5k race and won first place at a fundraising run for Winthrop-University Hospital’s cancer center for kids. He believes people can overcome poverty if they have proper education and is now raising funds to build a center in Sri Lanka to teach and tutor kids in need.

Steve Killelea, Humanitarian ’16, is an accomplished entrepreneur in high technology business development and at the forefront of philanthropic activities focused on sustainable development and peace. After successfully building two international software companies, Steve decided to dedicate most of his time and fortune to sustainable development and peace. Steve has always had a strong passion for sustainable development, and in 2000 established The Charitable Foundation (TCF), which specializes in working with the poorest communities of the world. TCF is one of the largest private overseas aid organizations in Australia, aiming to provide life-changing interventions reaching as many people as possible with special emphasis on targeting the poorest of the poor. TCF is active in East and Central Africa and parts of Asia and has substantially impacted the lives of over 2.3 million people. In 2007 Steve founded the Institute for Economics & Peace (IEP), an international think-tank dedicated to building a greater understanding of the interconnection between business, peace and economics with particular emphasis on the economic benefits of peace. IEP’s groundbreaking research includes the Global Peace Index, the world’s leading measure of peacefulness.

Dr. Judy Kuriansky, Foundation Global Adviser, is a world-renowned radio advice host, clinical psychologist and certified sex therapist, popular lecturer, newspaper columnist, and author of many books. An adjunct professor at Columbia University Teachers College and visiting professor of Peking University Health Science Center in Beijing, Dr. Judy is also expert on emergency mental health services and has worked at Ground Zero and in post-earthquake Haiti.

Gabi Lovve, Foundation Global Adviser, is an International Love Coach and Match Maker based in NYC who works with men and women targeting their love lives. She is currently working towards her Ph.D. and her focus is Marital Satisfaction and Personality Types. She can be seen monthly on The Dr. Lovve Show or at one of her Lovve Workshoppes for men, women, or couples in N.Y.C., Los Angeles, Miami, and Orlando. You may reach her at GabiLovve.com.

Stacee Mandeville, Foundation Global Adviser and N.Y. Global Leaders Lions Club Membership Chair. For sixteen years Stacee has delivered communication skills coaching to executives globally, and has worked with such companies as Merck, HP, General Electric, Levis, JPMorgan, Deutsche Bank, and Citigroup. She has used her experiences with clients combined with her theater background, to create the Red Leaf pedagogy.

Hon. Geneive Brown Metzger, LLD, Foundation Global Adviser, is an investment and trade analyst focusing on the Caribbean. Her firm, G.B.M. Consulting, leverages years of experience in marketing, diplomacy, trade/investment in supporting economic development projects in the Caribbean. Dr. Brown Metzger served as Jamaica’s Consul General in the U.S. between 2008 and 2012. A frequent radio host, she also serves on the board of the St. George’s Society.

Jessy Moya, Global Adviser to the Foundation and New York Global Leaders Lions Club Secretary, studied Business Administration at St. John’s University Queens Campus. Her passion for interior design led her to take several classes at Fashion Institute of Technology. She works in the Investment Bank division of UBS. She joined the J. Luce Foundation in the summer of 2015 and has been a Global Adviser since then. She is also the Secretary-Treasurer of the New York Global Leaders Lions Club (NYGLLC).

Georgia Nomikos, Corporate Sponsor & Foundation Global Adviser, is president and founder of the Orpheus Luxury Collection as well as Sea & City Tours. With over 30 years of experience in the travel industry, Georgia specializes in corporate and high-end travel. Born in Hellas and raised in NYC, Georgia’s Hellenic values permeate everything she does. She is a strong advocate for universal education, dedicated to promoting the intellectual freedom that comes with it.

Alexander Perruci, Marietta High School, Ohio (b.‘98), Luce Leader ’16, has lived in Marietta almost his entire life. A junior at Marietta High School, where he is active in the student council, Model United Nations team, National Honor Society, and varsity crew, Alex takes classes at Marietta College for dual credit. He is a Cadet Captain in Civil Air Patrol (the U.S. Air Force Auxiliary), and is the Cadet Commander of his squadron, chair the West Virginia Cadet Advisory Council, and represents West Virginia in the Middle East Region Cadet Advisory Council. After graduation, he plans to attend a four-year university to study biomedical engineering.

Gama Perruci, Ph.D., Foundation Global Adviser, is the Dean of the McDonough Center for Leadership & Business at Marietta College (Ohio). He currently serves as a consultant to The New York Times, focusing on the newspaper’s educational programming for leadership students. A visiting lecturer for the Management & Global Leadership Program at Dartmouth College’s Rockefeller Center for Public Policy, Gama is a native of Brazil with a Ph.D. in Political Science.

Matt Scott, Global Adviser and Corporate Sponsor, uses visual storytelling to help clients build and establish brand recognition, and his work has been used for marketing, fundraising, recruitment and recognition. Clients include 1010 Data, QuantiSense, Amudim, Elijah School, The Genesis School, and Children of the Americas.

Dr. Kazuko Hillyer Tatsumura, Orphans International Board of Directors & GAIA Holistic Foundation, was born in a distinguished old family in Kyoto, Japan, graduated from Toho Conservatory of Music in Tokyo. In 1961 she came to U.S. invited by the Boston Symphony. She studied at Boston University, New York University, and received Ph.D. in Oriental Medicine from N.Y. State University and the International Academy of Education in Tokyo. From 1968 to 1992, she was a world famous impresario, producing 2,000 events each year. In 1972 she met His Holiness the Dalai Lama, and arranged and funded the tour of the folk Opera of Tibet to the West. She has received many medals and honors. She retired from the field of promotions in 1992 and became a Holistic Health Doctor of Medicine. Her tireless lifelong work in Philanthropic field is vast, and well known. She has been a dedicated Board Member to Orphans International Worldwide (OIWW) for years. She raised funds to build the new academic building at Manjushree Orphanage in Tawang, India. In addition, Dr. Kazuko has strong ties to Cuba and Peru. She writes books and lectures and works with people for holistic health.

Rylie Wahl, Luce Scholar ’16, is a freshman at Marietta College, planning on majoring in Asian Studies with minors in Leadership and Graphic Design. Rylie has been studying Mandarin Chinese for eight years and plans to study abroad in China sometime during her college career to further her studies of the Chinese language and culture. After graduation she hopes to return to China to begin her career. On campus at Marietta, she participates in Global Connections, Women’s Choir, the campus news program WCMO-15, the Alliance, the Luce Leadership Fellowship, and volunteering in the community, while working three jobs. Rylie has also performed original music in campus events such as Brunos’ Choice Awards and The Vibe, and recently emceed Marietta’s Lunar Year Celebration.

About Jim Luce: Thought Leaders & Global Citizens

Jim Luce (www.lucefoundation.org) writes and speaks on Thought Leaders and Global Citizens.
Bringing 26 years management experience within both investment banking and the non-profit sector, Jim has worked for Daiwa Bank, Merrill Lynch, a spin-off of Lazard Freres, and two not-for profit organizations and a foundation he founded.
As Founder & CEO of Orphans International Worldwide (www.oiww.org), he is working with a strong network of committed professionals to build interfaith, interracial, Internet-connected orphanages in Haiti and Indonesia, and creating a new, family-care model for orphans in Sri Lanka and Tanzania.